Works for Me Wednesday: an inexpensive nursing pad alternative

This isn’t my own tip, although I definitely would have tried it if I’d known about it or thought about it on my own back when I was nursing. A Parents magazine reader suggested it in the November issue, and I thought it was a good tip that probably works well:

Instead of using disposable nursing pads, cut a pantyliner in two. It’s thinner and because the adhesive covers the entire back, it’ll stay in place better. It’s also probably equally absorbent, at least once you’re past the engorgement stage.

This is also a great way to use those free pantyliners that are so often available through The Drugstore Game.

If you’re concerned about leaking but prefer cloth because it’s cheaper, then you might want to do what I did:

Use cloth pads at home, doubling or even tripling up if necessary. (I had a whole bunch of pads, and would throw them into a mesh bag for washing as I changed them throughout the day.)

I used disposable pads when I left the house because the waterproof backing meant I could never leak through my shirt. Lansinoh pads were by far my preferred brand for disposables but my one complaint would be that the adhesive didn’t work that great. And the pantyliners would solve that problem easily 🙂

That’s what I got at the hospital when I had to go back 36 hours after being discharged with my newborn. The only breast pads were dispensed by the lactation consultant and she insisted on a consultation to give them out. Lactation consultations were not high on my list of priorities, since my healthy baby was at home. A smart nurse grabbed some maxi pads and cut them in half for me.The sticky stuff really holds them in place!

I just got back from Target, reading this realizing what I forgot to get! Thinking that I just got a “free” box of Kotex pantyliners from Rite Aid. And then thinking about all of the cloth re-usable pads I bought for the 1st baby and that did not work because I had way too much milk and they leaked incessantly. Not a problem now – thanks for the post!!http://www.dealbetty.blogspot.com